Spring-cap for cutting apparatus for mowers or reapers.



No. 665,527 Patented Jan. 8, 19m.

, H; L. HOPKINS.- SPRING CAP FOB CUTTING APPARATUS FOR MOWEBS 0B BEAPERS.

(Application filed Oct. 15, 1900.) (No Model.)

NITED STATES HARVEY L. HOPKINS, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF 'lWO-TH IRDS TO CHARLES H. POPE, OF SAME PLACE, AND MERWIN D. HOPKINS,

OF EATON, NEW YORK.

SPRING-CAP FOR CUTTING APPARATUS FOR MOWERS 0R REAPERS'.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Pateiit No. 665,527, dated January 8, 1901.

Application filed October 15, 1900. Serial. No. 33,096. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARVEY L. HOPKINS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Moline, county of Rock Island, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-Caps for Cutting Apparatus for Mowers or Reapers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

In the patent granted to me on the 9th day of January, 1900, No. 640,768, I have illustrated, described, and broadly claimed a cap for the cutting apparatus of mowers, reapers, and the like, the same consisting of a finger adapted to move with the reciprocations of the cutter-bar, the finger being attached at a fixed point on the finger-bar, but exerting its pressure all the while approximately at the same point on the moving section. In the construction illustrated and described in that patent the shear cut of the knife sections against the guard plates dependsv entirely upon the mechanical fit of the parts. However perfectly these parts may be fitted the wear will eventually permit the knife-sections to rise slightly above the guard-plates. When this occursthat is to say, when the cutting edges of the sections are not in actual contact with the guard-plates as the bar reciprocates-the draft of the machine is greatly increased, the stubble is unevenly cut, and the under sides of the cutting edges of the knifesections are worn off round by the wedging of the grass between the guard-plates and the sections. The only way of preserving a true shear cutting in such constructions is to tighten up the parts from time to time and replace the worn sections by new ones.

My present invention is designed as an improvement upon that of the above patent; and the object in view has been to provide a cutter-cap having a normally downward elastic pressure on the cutters and at the same time to preserve the valuable feature of the former capviz., that it follows the bar in its movements and bears on the cutters in all positions in its reciprocation.

shown in Fig. 1. of the clip by means of which the spring is so- I know, of course, that it is not new to provide cutter bars with springs to hold the knives down to their work; but so far as I am aware it is broadly new with me to provide an elastic or spring cap secured at one end to a fixed point, preferably the finger-bar, and bearing downward at its free end on the knife-sections, so as to move with the sections or follow the knives as they reciprocate over the faces of the guard or ledger plates.

With the above general object in view the presentim provementconsists,broadly,in such a spring cutter-cap as above referred to, and, specifically,it consists in a coiled spring which may lie-adjustable as to tension and secured at one end to the finger-bar and having its other end pressing downwardly on the cutters, said spring also connected so as to react laterally on the cutters as the bar moves.

Incidentally the invention also includes a novel construction of the spring itself, as well as a particular means for supporting and securing it to the finger-bar and an arrange ment for adjusting its tension whereby any required pressure may be secured and maintained on the sections.

In the accompanying drawings, forming, part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan View of a fragment of a cutting apparatus, showing one of my spring cutter-caps in operation. Fig. 2 is an end view of Fig. 1, showing finger and cutter bars in cross-secs tion. Fig. 3 is a rear edge view of the parts Fig. 4 is a perspective view cured to the finger-bar. Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively a plan and section of a modification.

Referring to the views, 0. denotes a fingerbar of ordinary construction, and 1) denotes a cutter-bar having knife-sections e (of which only one is shown in the drawings) riveted to it in the usual manner. The rear edge of the sections 6 overhangs the front edge of the finger-bar, as shown at a in Fig. 1, and the sections themselves rest upon ledger-plates d, that are fixed in the usual manner to the guardfingers c.

The parts thus far described are of the usual construction and operation and no further description of them is deemed necessary.

Near their forward ends the'knife-sectlons have riveted to them small sockets 7c. These sockets are preferably V-shaped, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings, and their rear ends are provided with vertical notches 7c. These sockets form the means of connection between the knife-sections and the cutter-cap, the forward end of whose spring fits into the socket, indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, and is held therein while the knife-section reciprocates. This spring is denoted by the letter 9 in all the figures. It is coiled, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and has its free end bent backwardly along the coil, as shown at i, to about the center of the coil, from which point it curves upwardly in the reverse direction over the top of the coil, as shown at z", and has its free endj extending downwardly and bearing upon the knife-section through the intermediacy of the socket is, in the slot of which the forward end of the spring plays freely. The spring should be of such length and have a sufficient number of coils to insure the proper degree of elasticity in its free end and also to prevent crystallization which might be caused by the repeated vibrations of the cutter-bar.

The spring g is secured to the finger-bar by means of the clipf. This clip is shaped as best shown in Fig. 4 and is secured to the finger-bar by the bolt 1). It is provided along its front edge with a projection f under which slides the rear edge a of the cutters, so that the clip serves to hold the cutter-bar in proper position. At its front side this clip is provided with a vertical wall or fender, which is curved over rearwardly at its upper edge, so as to partly cover and protect the spring and form a housing for it. A vertical flange f extends rearwardly at one end of the wall f, and the spring occupies the inclosure between these flanges, as best indicated in Figs. 1 and 3. At its front edge the flangef has a curved rib f projecting from its face, and at its rear edge there areaseries of teeth or notches f The rear end h of the spring g extends outwardly from the lower side of the coil and the forward endj is bent downwardly from above the coil, as best shown in Fig. 2. The spring is secured to the clip in the manner indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, where it will be noted that the end convolutions are slightly spread apart, so as to straddle the vertical flangef of the clip, with the end coil curving around and in contact with the rib f and with the end It hookedinto the notches f. In this manner the spring is firmly secured to the clip and held in position, and its tension may be varied by adjusting the end It into any one of the series of notches). \Vhen the spring is thus secured to the clip in operative position, its coils are free from contact with any other part of the clip. Consequently when the endj of the spring is vibrated by the reciprocations of the cutterbar there will be no friction due to the move- -ment of the coils; but they will play entirely free from contact with the clip except where the end coils embrace the flange f.

The number of caps required will of course depend upon the length of the cutter-bar. There should be enough of these caps with proper spring tensions to secure a shear cut of the knife-sections. I have found in practice as I make the caps that one cap to about every sixth section produces satisfactory results. These caps are preferably located along the bar, so that when the cutters stand midway between the guards c, as in Fig. 1, the endj of the spring will not be deflected to one side or the other. This end of the springbears downwardly upon the knife-sections at a point considerably in front of the connection of the sections with the cutter-bar, and the bending downwardly of the spring, as shown in Fig. 2, permits the end to pass back and forth under the ends of the guard-caps as the cutter-bar reeiprocates.

The normal position of the parts being as shown in Fig. 1, it will be understood that as the cutter-bar reciprocates the spring also reacts laterally against the side walls of the socket It, thus serving to steady the action of the cutters.

The end of the spring moves freely the distance of the stroke of the knife-sections; but it is desirable that the lateral and bodily movement of the coil should be reduced to a minimum. This effect is secured by bending the spring back to about the center of the length of the coil, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The slot in the socket is open at the rear and is preferably shaped, as shown at It in Fig. 1, so as to permit the spring to vibrate with the reciprocations of the cutter-section without undue frictional resistance and without danger of being disengaged from the socket. It is preferable to undercut the edges of the slot 79 at the rear end of the socket, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. l, and I also prefer to bevel or chamfer off the point of the spring, as indicated at 70 so as to prevent its coming in contact with the top of the socket.

The construction being as above described, the operation of my improved cap will be readily understood, especially when reference is had to my former patent above referred to. The front end j of the spring bears downwardly upon the cutters with a constant pressure, which may be regulated according to the condition of the cutter-sections and the grass, the tension of the spring being adjusted by hooking the rear end 7L into any one of the notches or teeth on the clip, so that the knife-sections are thereby kept down in operative engagement with the ledger-plates. The spring also reacts upon the sections as the knife-bar is reciprocated; but in this movement the working coils of the spring are kept from any contact with the clip by reason of the peculiar manner of fastening it to the clip, and the lateral bodily movement of the coil is reduced to a minimum by reason of the extension of the front end of the spring backwardly to the middle of the coil.

I do not desire to be limited to the particular construction of this spring nor to the details of the clip, as any other form of spring and any other means of fastening the spring are within the spirit and scope of my invention. Other means may also be employed for connecting the front end of the spring with the knife-section, and an eye or socket, as shown, for example, in Figs. 5 and 6, might be fitted so as to oscillate with the spring instead of being riveted to the section.

When it is desired to take the knife out of the machine, the front ends of the springs must of course be disconnected from the sockets. This is easily done by lifting them out of the slots in the sockets and resting them on the tops of the guard-fingers, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. After the knife has been restored to place the springs are easily reengaged with the sockets.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In acutting apparatus for mowers, reapers and the like, the combination of the finger-bar, the cutter-bar and a cap adapted to hold the cutters down in operative relation to the guards, said cap comprising a spring secured at one end to a fixed point and bearing downward at its other end upon and movable laterally with the reciprocating movement of the cutters.

2. In a cutting apparatus for mowers, reapers and the like, the combination of the finget-bar, the cutter-bar, a cap adapted to hold the cutters down in operative relation to the guards, said cap consisting of a spring secured at one end on the finger-bar and bearing downward at its free end on and laterally movable with the cutters, and means for adjusting the downward pressure of the spring.

3. In a cutting apparatus for mowers, reapers, and the like, the combination of the fin-' ger-bar, the cutter-bar, and a cap adapted to hold the cutters down in operative relation to the guards, said cap consisting of a spring secured at one end on the finger-barand bearing downward at its free end on the cutters,

the spring also reacting elastically laterally on the cutters as the bar reciprocates.

4. In a cutting apparatus for mowers, reapers, and the like, the combination of the fin ger-bar, the cutter-bar, and a cap adapted to hold'the cutters down in operative relation to the guards, said cap consisting of a Wire spring wound into a coil and having one end bearing downwardly on and moving with the cutters and the other secured to a fixed point on the finger-bar.

5. In a cutting apparatus for mowers, reapers, and the like, the combination of the finger-bar, the cutter-bar, and a cap adapted to hold the cutters down in operative relation to the guards, said cap consisting of a Wire spring wound into a horizontal coil and having one end bent backwardly in a reverse direction over the coil and extended forward so as to bear downwardly on the cutters, the end of the spring at the opposite end of the coil being adjustably secured to a fixed point on the finger-bar.

6. In a cutting apparatus for mowers, reapers, and the like, the combination of the finger-bar, the cutter-bar, a clip secured to the finger-bar and having a flange f and a series of-teeth or notches f and a coiled spring 9 having its end coil embracing the flange f one end of the spring extending forward and bearing downwardly on the cutters, and the other end extending rearwardly and engaged with the notches j. I

7. In a cuttingapparatus for mowers, reapers, and the like, the combination of the finger-bar, the cutter-bar, a clip secured to the finger-bar and having the front vertical wall f, the end flange f and rib f and the series of teeth or notchesf and the spring 9 Wound into a coil with one end straddling the flange f and engaging the rib f and the other end bent backwardly along the coil and curved in a reverse direction over the top of the coil, the free endj of the spring bearing downwardly on the cutters, and the opposite end engaging the notches In testimony whereof I affix-my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARVEY L. HOPKINS.

Witnesses:

B. M. GOLDEN, E. E. MORGAN. 

